


New Pet

by spowell Once and Future Series (SPowell)



Series: Once and Future [28]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M, Post 5X13, post canon au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-21
Updated: 2014-07-21
Packaged: 2018-02-09 18:48:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,003
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1993911
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SPowell/pseuds/spowell%20Once%20and%20Future%20Series
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The cat's first night. Arthur reflects a bit.</p>
            </blockquote>





	New Pet

**Author's Note:**

> Written for camelot_land's challenge #23 the weekly one (amnesty) prompts: apple and first day on the job.

It’s hours before Arthur can feel his mouth enough to eat again.

He bites into an apple and watches Merlin pull a string as Aithusa jumps about, trying to catch it between her front paws. It’s late, and Arthur’s showered and wears his favourite black sleep pants with the round yellow smiley faces all over them. Merlin wears a T-shirt and Y-fronts, his arse wiggling enticingly as he moves about the floor of the living room with the cat.

Tossing his apple core across the room and into the trash, Arthur stretches.

“You really think the cat will sleep in that bed we bought her?” he asks Merlin dubiously.

“Sure.” Merlin gets to his feet and fetches the bed made of soft, blue cloth from the chair where they’d left it after unpacking their purchases earlier. “We’ll put it in the window in our bedroom where she can see outside.”

Arthur and Aithusa both follow Merlin down the hall, watching as he places the bed in the low window and pats it.

The first thing Arthur had set out when they’d returned from the store was a litter box, and he and Merlin made sure Aithusa knew where it was located in the laundry room.

“Look, Aithusa! A nice cozy bed just for you!” Merlin points to the bed on the window sill.

Aithusa purs and entwines herself around Arthur’s legs.            

“Come on, now.” Merlin bends down and scoops the cat up, depositing her on the little bed and petting her. “Lie down.”

Arthur chuckles and goes into the bathroom to brush his teeth. When he comes out, Merlin goes in. Arthur turns out the lights, glancing at Aithusa where she lies purring on her bed. There’s something very homey about having a pet, he thinks; like he and Merlin suddenly have a child together or something. The thought’s ridiculous, but Arthur can’t deny that acquiring the cat has lent a cozier feel to their home.

He gets into bed and lies listening to the familiar sounds of their building.

As Arthur waits for Merlin to come to bed, he finds himself thinking about the first day of his job in New Zealand. He’d worked long hours and when he arrived back at the hotel, he was sure he’d fall asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow; but instead he’d lain awake for long hours, missing Merlin and their home. Absolutely everything had been wrong-- from the feel of the bed to the odd noises of the hotel and the snoring of the men sharing his suite. Arthur had been miserable. He’d never felt homesick back in Camelot when he’d been away from the castle for long periods of time. Then again, Merlin had always been with him, except for that last journey to Camlann; and Arthur well remembers how disconcerting that had been and how very lost he had felt without his friend by his side.

The bathroom door opens and the light flips off. Arthur listens to Merlin’s footfalls on the carpet and feels the bed dip beside him, his heart speeding up with anticipation at the thought of holding Merlin again. Arthur now realizes this is why his heart used to trip every time he saw Merlin walk into his chambers, smiling brightly. He had been in love with his servant even then.

Reaching out, Arthur pulls Merlin toward him, aligning their bodies, and before Merlin can open his mouth to say anything, Arthur presses a kiss upon it, loving the way Merlin’s muscles loosen and his body seems to melt into Arthur’s.

Kissing leads to Merlin stretched on top of Arthur, straddling him, the two of them pushing almost frantically against one another while their tongues continue to plunder the other’s mouth. It isn’t long before Arthur arches and grasps Merlin’s cotton-covered arse, squeezing it as he spends himself against him, listening to Merlin moan his name before jerking in his arms and following suit. They fall asleep like that; sticky and in one another’s arms.

Arthur awakens the next morning to Merlin’s quiet snores and a gentle tugging of his hair. It takes him several minutes to realize that it’s Aithusa, who evidently decided to join them in the bed and awaken Arthur by chewing on his hair.

Arthur slips out of bed and the cat follows him to the kitchen, doing figure eights around his ankles and almost tripping Arthur before he can get her food and water in the bowls.

Arthur puts some coffee on to brew and goes to take a shower, where Merlin soon joins him with an admirable morning erection. Arthur has found that most of the time he prefers to top, unless he’s feeling particularly vulnerable. It works for them, as Merlin is content to bottom most of the time and seems to have an innate sense of when Arthur needs him to take charge.

“Did Aithusa spend all night in her bed?” Merlin asks after Arthur’s taken him against the shower wall and they’ve finished washing and stand drying each other with fluffy towels.

“No, she decided she’d rather sleep on my pillow and eat my hair,” Arthur replies, hanging his towel on the rod and walking into the bedroom to dress.

“I guess we’ll have to train her, then,” Merlin says, pulling on his pants. “I’ve got to get to the book shop as soon as I eat. What have you got planned for today?”

“I have a class to teach tonight, but until then, I’m not sure,” Arthur answers, buttoning his shirt.

He cooks some eggs while Merlin drinks coffee and reads the morning paper. Barking from next door brings Aithusa skittering in from the other room, all the fur on her back standing on end.

“Buttons,” Arthur says, as Merlin reaches down to pet Aithusa. “Wonder if we should introduce them.”

“Probably not,” Merlin says. “She looks terrified.” A knock on the front door sends the cat tearing down the hall into one of the bedrooms.


End file.
